Bill Heck and I did a little scouting for leading a weekend trip, for
which the most productive stop was Killdeer Plains WA.
        About 500 shorebirds were present in the eastern impoundment of Pond
27. In order of abundance: lesser yellowlegs, greater yellowlegs,
pectoral SP, s-b dowitcher, stilt SP, solitary SP. Also present were
~195 great blue herons, 17 great egrets, and a few green herons. After
about half an inch of rain last night, nearly all were way across the
impoundment in shallows on the north side. A scope is essential, and be
prepared to do a lot of shoulder-shrugging. This situation may improve
if the water drops. At the SW corner of the impoundment, a high spot had
a few dozen shorebirds in nice and close. Approach with care and don't
bang those tripod legs, and you'll get some great looks at shorebirds.
We had two pectorals, 4 solitaries, 15 stilt sp (ad & juv), 3 g
yellowlegs (ad & juv), 21 lesser yellowlegs (ad & juv), two juv s-b
dowitchers, and a spottie.
        TH-108 south of C-71 has shallows and a few mudflats along the east
side, at the newly-named Roe Wetland. The ditch is dry, so you can get
to the dike for a change to actually see what's out there. Afternoon
light is best. Same shorebirds as Pond 27 (N~200) except no dows and
some mud here had attracted least sp. Black, Forster's and Caspian tern
present. A plethora of eagles was hard to miss.
        We visited Pipe Creek WA. Shorebird habitat is nil now. Four snowy
egrets were present. It was pretty quiet. One gull.
Bill Whan
Columbus

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